Paratalapia Polleni

[RMR]

I have a small 2.5" p. polleni in a 20 gallon tank for now, I want to add one more cichlid to the tank until they grow to large for it. I was told by a very knowledgable fish expert that a small jewel cichlid might work. So I went out and got a beautiful 2" jewel hoping that the p. polleni would beat up on him to badly, but instead, the jewel put a good beating on the p. polleni to the point where I had to tank him back. My p. polleni isnt really agressive, I had him in with a red tail shark and a few tiger barbs and though he ruled the tank, it was more by intimidation than aggression. They more or less would just move when he came near but he never bit. So after talking with the fish friend, he advised me to come onto this site to get some more opinions as to what may be a good cichlid to add in with him. My ph is about 7 so it needs to be something pretty hardy. I dont want somthing dull that looks like I went down to the lake and caught it myself but rather something very colorfull and pleasing to the eye. Thanks in advance.

[sidguppy]

Is this a troll?

is this a serious post??

I want to add one more cichlid to the tank until they grow to large for it

this is frowned upon....

So I went out and got a beautiful 2" jewel hoping that the p. polleni would beat up on him to badly

are you insane? got some sort of a social problem up to the point were you enjoy fish mutilating each other in cramped quarters?

that's sadistic sociopathic behaviour, it is.
I suggest you seek professional help, because if you get kicks from harming or killing animals, you are a very sick person.

I also will post this to the moderators. they will not like this kind of "postings", nor do I or any other serious fishkeeper.

[Lisachromis]

Before we get too much into this, I'd like people to take a deep breath first. We'll assume the question is legitimate.


Now, if you seriously want help with your polleni, then the advice you get may not be to your liking. Wanting to have another colourful cichlid in with your polleni may be nice, but the reality is another story as you've seen. Honestly, I don't know of another cichlid that you'd put in with your polleni in a tank that small. You've got a few choices.

1) Get a much larger tank and you can have many more choices for inclusion with your polleni.
2) Trade the polleni in for some small cichlids that will fit in the 20g. Maybe some Apistos or rams.
3) Keep the polleni as a solitary cichlid in that tank for now.

Beyond that, there's not really alot more help we can do for you.

[Dean Hougen]

Yeah, I think we should give the new poster the benefit of the doubt.

I want to add one more cichlid to the tank until they grow to large for it.

This might mean, "I want to have two cichlids together in my tank now but when they get larger I intend to move them up to a larger tank." Now, having just two cichlids together is a bad idea, since one is likely to dominate and pound on the other, but until the poster gets more experience or someone gives him good advice, how would he know?

So I went out and got a beautiful 2" jewel hoping that the p. polleni would beat up on him to badly ...

This is probably just a type-o. Probably he meant "So I went out and got a beautiful 2" jewel hoping that the p. polleni would not beat up on him too badly ..."


Dean

[RMR]

Thank you Dean for clearing that up for me, I didnt realize one small typo could stir up such a ruckus!!! You seem to be very helpfull and your comment about the two cichlids being a bad idea could very well be true and somthing I didnt think of. The jewel cichlid was obviously the more dominant of the two and that was definately a bad situation. I think I have decided not to add anymore cichlids to the current tank however, I have one more question if you or someone else could help out with. I am planning on getting a larger tank ( 35 gal ) and want to make this a cichlid tank ( malawi )... can this p. pollini be added in with them?

[Lisachromis]

A 35 is still pretty small for Malawians. What are planning on putting in it?

[Dean Hougen]

Well, I'm certainly no expert on Malagasy cichlids, but I think a 35 might (might) be big enough for a single, show specimen of Paratalapia polleni although you'd probably have to really stay on top of your water changes. You might want to move it up to a 55 when it gets big.

For your 20, I'd go with dwarf cichlids (Apistos from South America or shellies from Tanganyika, for instance, but not both). For a 35, I'd go for medium sized cichlids (3-4in) at most. I agree with Lisa that most Malawians wouldn't work out well in a 35.


Dean